A Twist of Fate
by LillieGhoul
Summary: Hyūga Neji had always hated Hinata for controlling his fate. More importantly, he had never stopped hating Hinata for making him feel that the moon was brighter, the chirping crickets louder, and that time swept in slow mention. Yes, he had never stopped hating her for forcing him to love her against his own will. #NejiHinaWeek #NejiHinaWeek2016
1. Day 1: Marriage

**A/N: It's NejiHina week 2016! I have been waiting for months to do this! *screams and almost faints in excitement* Ahem, now that that's out of the way.**

 **This week, I'll just be working on my special fic for NejiHina! I might make sequels depending on the day or I might just make it a different chapter, it depends. Rated M to be safe. So here's to Day 1 (Hinata might be slightly OOC here but you never know)**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Also, the cover image obviously belongs to kimiquin on tumblr. If you are into NejiHina, I highly suggest you follow kimiquin and see what great stuff people are sharing on tumblr, including me (as hakke-kusho)!**

* * *

 **Day 1:**

 _Marriage_

* * *

Hyūga Hanabi was declared barren.

Due to an accident in one of her training sessions with the Hyūga prodigy Neji, she had been unable to dodge an attack aimed straight at her womb. The doctor had informed them with a breath barely held that the hopes for Hanabi ever conceiving had been drastically lowered.

It was due to this fact that Hyūga Hinata was reinstated as the next clan Head, so that she could provide future heirs for the family. Hinata had not stopped crying ever since.

Being cast off by the Head family in favor of Hanabi, the only reason that she did not have a cursed seal on her forehead was due to unseen circumstances when something should happen to Hanabi and she dies without producing an heir. That had come in useful for the times of today, when Hanabi, even though a lot stronger and worthier than her older sister, had to step down because she could no longer produce an heir. Hanabi had been strictly withdrawn, not talking to anyone and staying in her room. No one knew if it was because of the knowledge that she could no longer conceive, or the fact that she could no longer carry a Hyūga line.

Rumor had it that she had talked to her father about the issue of remaining the Head till her dying breath, after which Hinata could take back her place and her line could follow. Rumor also had it that the Council and Hyūga Hiashi had agreed and he had come up with a proposal.

Hyūga Hinata, as the next clan heir, would now marry Hanabi's betrothed, their cousin Neji. Neji had originally been betrothed to Hinata when she was born as the first child, then cast off in favor of Hanabi as both she and Neji carried the Hyūga blood strongly in their veins. But now, as the possibility of an heir with Hanabi was futile, they settled for the next best option; their original decision of having Hinata once more betrothed to the Hyūga genius.

"But I love Naruto!" Hinata had cried when she was told of her fate.

Hiashi shook his head sadly. "Now that you are heir once more, you no longer have the option of following your heart."

"But he's like a brother to me!" Hinata argued.

"Consider yourself lucky that you are not natural siblings, as was the case resulted back in the First Great Ninja War when the Hyūgas had become almost extinct."

"But he tried to kill me!"

"As heir and a part of the Main Family, it is your duty to carry on a strong Hyūga line and as a member of the Branch House, it is Neji's duty to protect that line."

"But I don't want to be heir!" Hinata sobbed.

Hiashi's pained expression was a cause of enigma. No one could be sure if it was because of the disappointment that Hanabi could no longer carry a line or if he was truly pained to have the weak Hinata back into the folds and responsibilities of the Main House.

"Think of your sister and what she is going through," Hiashi said. "She can no longer be a mother, a privilege that you still have. She cares about her family deeply. She is someone who would never hesitate to die for her family. You have to make sure it still lives."

That was enough to silence more arguments from Hinata. Hinata cared deeply for her sister and was always protective of her.

If Hinata were to die, then the line of continuation fell on Hiashi's siblings, and Hiashi had had only one. The burden fell on his deceased brother's son and Hiashi's nephew, Neji, who was the closest in line to carry on as successor. Even though Neji was more than capable, there were vicious tongues and higher-ups in their family who would be outraged to have their line continue from a Branch Member and to listen and follow orders from one. The Council and the Elders had found two birds to kill with one stone. Hanabi would remain as the clan Head, and the union of Hinata and Neji would mean strong heirs as well as letting the people think that it was Hinata they were following instead of Neji. If one were to die, the other was heir anyway. As weak as she was, the Hyūgas would not hesitate to follow a Main Family member as is Hinata.

"You have always played with my life," Neji spat as they were wedded and stood at the shrine, holding hands and smiling as they looked at each other for the sake and convenience of their audience who applauded as they sealed their vows.

"You may have my body, but you'll never have my heart," Hinata declared to him in response just as stubbornly. She couldn't help but blame Neji for being a constant thorn at her side, a person who had always caused her difficulty, a person who had always caused her pain and despair. But she had also always felt sorry for him, but not more than she was feeling sorry for herself at this moment.

Neji had had no objections to this union and had accepted silently. He was forced to marry into the Main Family, one he had always hated. It was his duty to the family as well as the lingering guilt (or satisfaction, one couldn't be sure as his hatred for their family was so well-known) of striking Hanabi down. It was the only way he could repay or make amends, by once more handing over his fate to the family and accepting whatever decision or punishment they decided.

He had never stopped hating Hinata for being a part of the Main House and constantly controlling his fate. At one point when they were children, he had been filled with pride and joy for being her protector, but that had all changed when the Main Family had allowed his father to walk to his death.

But he had also never stopped hating Hinata for making him think that the moon was brighter than it was, that the sounds of the chirping crickets in their compound had suddenly grown louder, and that time suddenly swept in slow mention as she made her entrance.

Yes, Neji had never stopped hating Hinata for making him, _forcing_ him, to love her against his own will. No matter how hard he tried to squish those feelings, they always resurfaced, stronger than ever.

As they stood in their bedroom, he looked at her gentle face still filled with innocence loathed by the Hyūgas and his contempt grew. Hinata had always been right. It was _himself_ he fought against more. It was his _anger_ at not being able to control his own fate.

"So tonight is the night I finally fuck the Main House," Neji said as he looked at her malevolently. If Neji was another man, one who did not hate Hinata, he would have said how this was the night he finally had her to himself, unbeknownst to the circumstances.

She inwardly flinched, but returned his stare. "You will also be fucking yourself," she replied gently, "As has the Main House been doing that to you since birth."

That caused Neji to growl in anger, grasping both of her hands and holding them tightly above her on the bed.

"I will _rape_ you," he said menacingly, threatning her.

Neji was bewildered as she smiled gently yet again. "It is not rape if both parties are willing to fuck each other. I am more concerned if it would be considered rape from your end, as you might be forcing yourself to satisfy me as it is only my body which will ever respond to you."

She knew that was not true. He was not forcing himself. She could feel that by the bulge pushing against her stomach.

He pulled back in shock. Hinata had grazed him. Looking at the girl he had always considered so shy, withdrawn and overpowered, he couldn't help but feel inadequate.

"I hope to god you're experienced," he said instead, hoping to instigate her yet again.

Her mind flashed back to a time she was alone in the woods with her teammate, Inuzuka Kiba. She remembered how they had both relieved their curiosities that day, how they had kissed brashly and how, later, he had pummeled her from behind. It had been rough and uncomfortable, and her knees had sprained. She had not liked it that much, and she had thought it would be different with the one you loved. Sadly, she would never be getting that opportunity with her husband. She had met with Kiba on several occasions after that, and both of them had gotten better at it, discovering ways to pleasure each other. There was no love, however.

She looked at him defiantly. "I hope you are as well, or is Tenten just incapable in trying to get you aroused?"

Neji's eyes could not have grown wider. "Tenten is... I will never...!"

He did not know why he was justifying himself. Tenten was not someone who attracted him, she was just a friend. She was clingy and loud, always calling attention to herself. Hinata on the other hand...

Hinata sighed, leaving a pregnant silence. Neji flushed deeply in anger. He would _show_ her he was more than capable himself.


	2. Day 2: Supernatural Magic Creatures AU

**_"Everyone has something deep inside their hearts. For some, it might have been enmity. For others, admiration. Wishes, a craving for the spotlight, feelings that one wants to deliver, feelings for others. Everyone was supported by their own feelings. That's what makes someone strong and successful."_**

~Kousei Arima  
 ** _Anime: Shigatsu Wa Kimi No Uso_**

* * *

 **Day 2:**

 _Supernatural/ Magical Creatures AU_

* * *

He had a dream that night.

He had not been able to control himself. He felt like he absolutely needed to convey his emotions to her, the intensity of them, but he, as usual, found himself drowning in a cesspool of mixed feelings, pain, and hurt. He growled loudly as he reached his end.

He had been direct and forceful, but ultimately found himself lost in a haze as passion and lust overcame him. Hinata met his eyes and appeared to understand. She welcomed each thrust and lets out sharp gasps as spasms ran and pain filled with pleasure coursed through her veins with his every movement. It fills them both as they join and disjoin repeatedly. The hunger he had did not seem to hint at ending.

He was fit to burst, but he did not _want_ it to end. As his pace grew faster, so did her breathing. And as her breathing did, so did his heartbeat.

He finally ejaculated, letting out a loud moan in the process as he held her head close to his chest so she could hear his thumping heartbeat. She clutched his arms for support, breathing him in.

As she lay in his arms in the aftermath of their intense and aggressive lovemaking session, unwillingly hugging his overheated body against her, he felt like he was born from fire. The fire of hatred was all he had known.

* * *

 _She was an angel, an angel of love and purity. Neji was a fallen one._

 _He had brought another one of his close kin to visit her in the night. He had allowed the demon into her bed and watched calmly as he had his way with her._

 _He was filled with a sense of satisfaction as he saw her face scrunched up in pain and the hurt in her eyes as she looked at him, a demon she had allowed herself to love._

 _As the demon reached his climax, Neji pulled him back roughly by his collar and thrust a jūken straight through his chest, ending his life. As the demon vanished in a cloud of black smoke, Hinata looked on, breathless. Feathers from her wings lay all around, some stuck in her hair. He raked her hair through with his fingers, freeing them and watched as they flew all around._

 _Neji had sinned in the past. He had almost killed the one he loved. He had been cast off from the heavens by birth, because he was born in a lower class of angels. His wings were not clipped, but broken. He was born in a cage, not knowing how to fly even if he wanted to. It was her love which fueled him, which granted him power and he would do anything for her. He would descend further down for her if that was what was required to atone for ever hurting her._

 _"Why?" she asked, her voice hitched in agony at his actions. Her eyes portrayed heartbreak._

 _"I could not have killed him without reason," he said in answer, "Or I would have been prosecuted, bearing the weight of more sins."_

 _Her eyes widened in hurt and shock._

 _"You brought him to me," she whispered._

 _Neji looked on at her. "Do you trust me?" he asked._

 _She wanted to shake her head know, he could tell. Neji was a demon blessed with the gift of perception. He could always tell when someone hesitated or someone lied, exactly like he had looked at her the first time they had faced off. He could also, Hinata shuddered, always appeared to read minds. When she was with him, she talked to him via telepathy. It was his mind which had attracted her to him in the first place, so she knew, just knew, that Neji would never do something to hurt her purposefully._

 _"Yes," she finally answered. "I trust you."_

 _He nods once, then trails his fingers down her forehead. She was innocent. He had to protect her. He had vowed to do that. If he succeeded, he might ascend again. But he had fallen in love with her from the first moment he laid eyes on her. The possessiveness which bloomed inside him made it hard to believe that he would let anyone lay a finger on her._

 _"I'd never do something to willingly hurt you," he said. "Trust my reasons."_

 _"But..." she wanted to ask what his reasons were, but she knew that if she pushed him, he would draw himself further away._

 _"I understand," she said instead._

 _"He had wanted to hurt you," he whispered, as their lips almost touched. "I saw through him. He was a part of me."_

 _She fingered his lips shut. "You don't have to speak."_

 _He shook his head. "He had evil intentions for you. I had to find a way to prove that, I saw through him since the beginning but no one would ever believe me if I spoke, I had a hard time accepting myself. I acted as an ally so that he could reveal himself to me and I had to find a way to usher him into the spotlight. I had to be sure he was caught red-handed so that he could never deny his intentions. I wanted to be allowed to slay him without breaking any laws. I wanted to finally be rid of him."_

 _She looked on. She was so innocent, so trusting, yet sometimes she proved to be far more perceptive than himself._

 _"Are you sure it is not a mirage? Was it not a part of yourself you just killed, the hate manifesting itself inside of you?" she asked, fingers touching his heart._

* * *

He woke up with a start. He was sweating profusely with a soft weight over his left arm and chest, one which he did not mind. The other hand had been digging in her hair.

It made him feel like she had always shared his destiny.

He looked down at her and saw her eyes flutter open as she met his gaze. It was like a curtain had been lifted.

When he tried to speak, she fingered his lips shut. It was déjà vu all over again. It almost felt like she had been having the same dream. It was like they were connected, and not through their moment of passion alone.

"You don't have to speak," she whispered, and an icy fist felt like closing over his heart.

She was a light to his darkness. She filled all the dark corners of his heart with her merriment and mirth.

He realized he was incomplete without her. Had she just made him kill the hate inside of him?


	3. Day 3: Sunflower

**A/N: I am late and I should have no excuse. But please bear with me. NejiHina week has been the only good thing happening this week in my life currently and there is no way in hell I'm letting it go. After all, we have the rest of December!  
**

* * *

 **Day 3:**

 _Sunflower_

* * *

Neji hates her. She hates him. So how was it that the two found each other in the night in a mass of limbs and heated passion?

She had always believed that heroes were born just in stories, but that had all changed when she had met Naruto.

Naruto had drawn her to him since the first day. She found herself unable to stay away from him still. Her eyes followed him across the streets, searching him out. Even against her family's instructions, she sought him, hiding behind trees to watch him train and be with him after everyone left.

There was Neji, on the other hand. Hinata had always been afraid of Neji. When she saw him coming when they were young, she always ran the other way and it continued till this day.

So when Hinata wanted to signal Neji that she was ready to accept him, she left him sunflowers to find. But it had gone wrong very suddenly and neither of them had seen it coming.

Hinata was not one to control others. Hinata wasn't born to boss around. But her role as part of the Main Family forced her to against her will. She had always felt awkward asking people what to do and she felt strange and embarrassed when people took her words as direct orders even when she had just meant them as a request. Hyūga Hinata did not boss anyone around. That is, except when she was with her husband. He was the perhaps the only one who saw the other side of her sweet personality, the one she subdued.

"Harder," she cried.

He dropped his pace considerably. He was satisfied as he watched her face scrunch up in pleasurable longing. It was not often that he teased her and his intentions to do so were never clear.

"Is that an order?" he asked, delighted to find her back arch in response involuntarily.

"Yes!" she yelled. It wasn't like he had left her with a choice. She had not meant to order him and he purposefully brought it out of her, perhaps to demean her, to show that he provided her pleasure because he was simply following orders.

He thrust into her forcefully and she gasped loudly in satisfaction. He slowly pulled out of her before repeating himself and she responded with each movement he made.

She loved Naruto still, but it was Neji who made her scream his name into the night. She had not forgotten the one she loved and she spent time with him still, but at times when Neji had her in his arms, she soon did without even thinking.

The next day, Neji sat in a meeting with Hiashi, trying to concentrate on his steaming mug of green tea. Hinata had walked in to serve them the tea and as she walked out, her face was impassive. Neji noted that she had left a sunflower underneath the table and he needed no further explanation. He reached for the flower as Hiashi concentrated on his tea and hid it behind his back.

"Excuse me, Hiashi-sama," he said as he clumsily got up in a hurry. "I... Need to go to the toilet."

Surprised, Hiashi could not help but nod. Neji looked agitated. He bowed quickly before he rushed out of the room.

He knew he would not be finishing his tea.

He also knew where she would be waiting for him and she enough, she was there in their room, having lit incense around them for fertility and blessing, she let him think. The reality was that she found it very intimate and easier to accept him as sometimes the darkness of the room allowed her to imagine someone else. She lit candles around them and the shadows played across his face so that she did not have to always look at him. Sunflower petals were almost always strewn around. It helped them get in the mood and each had their needs. Neji dropped the flower he was holding to reach for her.

He clutched her face as he grabbed her lips in a forceful kiss as he pressed her against the wall. He lifted her leg up and wrapped it around him. They were still clothed, yet he humped her against the wall like a man possessed.

"You... Want me?" he murmured against her lips between each heavy breath he made.

She felt like she was on fire down there and wanted him to continue his onslaught.

"Yes," she said, and it was an understatement.

It had started as an innocent signal when she started to leave sunflowers as a sign that she was ovulating. They had decided that wherever he may be, he will come for her so that their chances of conception could be raised. But it had soon gone wrong. She started to leave sunflowers when she absolutely felt like having him and she went so far as to intrude his meetings, and he appeared to show no objections.

They did not talk much during the act as they preferred to communicate in silence. Because of this, she did not know how he was taking the sudden turn in their relationship. The times he did, she could never tell if he was being ironic, sarcastic, or sexy and she found the mystery surrounding it amusing.

As he finally unclothed them, he made her impatience flutter as he took his time surveying her body with his tongue. Not wanting to wait further still, she pushed him back as she prepared to mount him, grabbing both his wrists with one hand above his head while her other hand clutched his shoulder. She met his gaze as he lay below her in a vulnerable position and his expression once more did not change.

"Rise," she said as she rubbed herself against him. He audibly gasped as he felt her warmth, biting his lip. Droplets of sweat erupted from his forehead. His hair lay spread below them and his forehead was also bare; the forehead which contained the mark tattooed on his skin binding him to her for eternity. It was not just their marriage vows which sealed their fates together in a contract eligible till their last breath.

"Do you... Command me?" he rasped, his eyes half-closed as his body betrayed his seemingly careful control and he found himself expressively obeying her.

"I don't need to," she said in satisfaction and then blushed at her boldness. She did not need to say that he did more than half the work himself without being told to do so. Neither did she admit that Neji was the only person she had been brave enough to control, a person others feared.

She had never been able to wrestle control, not with Kiba, and not with Naruto. Men took her to be as shy as her personality in bed, ignoring her needs. Hyūga Neji, however, knew her secret and he kept many. It was Neji she loved to play with in bed as she explored the man people believed to be emotionless.

She took him in suddenly and he squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his head back, his legs twitching as he received her. As she straddled him, she rocked him back and forth as she rode him like the brave kunoichi she actually wasn't.

She easily tamed the beast, and he didn't mind nor did he always put up a great fight. And as their breathing quickened, he inhaled all the sunflowers around them and understood why they had always been his favourite flowers.

They smelled of home. Of her.


	4. Bonus Prompt: Endurance

**I'm frightened by what I see  
But somehow I know  
That there's much more to come  
Immobilized by my fear  
And soon to be  
Blinded by tears  
I can stop the pain  
If I will it all away**

"Whisper"  
 _ **Evanescence**_

* * *

 **Bonus Prompt:**

 _Endurance_

* * *

She had long since felt pain. She had faced it since a very young age. She was always willing it away for the people she cared about. The first blow had come when she had lost her mother. She was told to be strong. The world didn't stop and her father did not need to be constantly of reminded her mother by looking at her. She had soon lost her father after that when he declared her hopeless and she silently willed away her pain, for the sake of her father.

When kids bullied her because of her white eyes, she was taught to bear it by keeping a smile on her face and appear as if it did not much affect her. The pain could be physical or emotional. Naruto taught her to rise up strong and fight back. She had willed away the pain, for Naruto.

Right now, she was training with her sister, and her sister showed her no mercy. Each blow hurled at her seemed to radiate with the intention of inflicting pain upon the older sister who had once again risen up from the ashes even after she was declared hopeless by their father. Hinata knew that Hanabi loved her even though they had never actually been close. But as they fought, Hanabi's eyes shone and Hinata couldn't be sure if it was with malice or a burning will to succeed.

Having Hanabi look at her like that, she felt that she had lost a sister as well. The pain she suffered felt more than the slight brushes which burned her nerves her younger sister managed to touch through her guard. She supposed that was called for. Hanabi needed to vent out her aggression and Hinata silently willed her pain away, for the sake of her sister.

Born a Hyūga, it had become a reflex living with her inbound relatives to endure pain. Her heart had become like rubber and not even a blade or a jūken could penetrate it.

But later when they were in bed together, Neji's words proved to be sharper than a sword and it caught her completely by surprise. Never could she have expected that anyone could breach the walls she had long since built so carefully surrounding her heart, and that too by a simple honorific. She had willed away the pain when they had fought as cousins and they were pitted together to battle, but she could not will away the pain for Neji as her husband, a pain she felt as his wife.

It had started when Hinata slowly started to unbutton her blouse to ready herself for him and he had stopped her midway as he touched her.

"You're cold, Hinata-sama," he said simply as he wrapped her hands in his. Her body was not receptive to him tonight as she was still thinking about possibly losing her sister and neither did it make a difference that he looked at her with almost a sympathising expression on his face.

She flinched. He had not stopped calling her "Hinata-sama" on purpose, to rub it in her face that the relationship they had meant that he was always forced to obey her. That's what she felt and it was very possibly true. He had done nothing to hide the fact that he lived to obey and serve, and that's what their marital relationship entailed as he had not married her because his heart had desired it so. He did nothing out of his own free will. He took her to bed because it was his duty to provide an heir soon, not because he wanted to be with her.

She thought that by allowing himself to be with her, he might start to feel differently. But that had not happened. He still acted like he was forced to pleasure her. His body was stiff and he did not speak a word. Only the sounds he made betrayed any emotion at all or hint at his position.

Why did he even resent her? When would he learn that her life was played with just as well, far more so than his own?

"Because you're not Naruto, _nii-san,_ " she said softly, attempting to hurt him just like he had hurt her.

He nods simply, accepting. Hinata looked at him, trying to hide the hurt on her face as she once more tried to will away the pain she felt.

Wasn't he even going to argue back? Did he not feel a single ounce of possessiveness for her? Did he not long for her? Did he not care that she engaged in a relationship with her lover?

Will she always be just his _Hinata-sama_?

She wanted to slap him. She wanted to push him away and pull her hands away from his grasp.

"You on the other hand are as hot as the place you spawn from," she carried on in the same even tone.

He looked down at their interlocked hands, still not commenting. When he looked back up, unspoken words were etched on his face but his lips remained stubbornly sealed. He continued to look at her as if he was observing a famous piece of art not for the first time. His eyes roamed over her curves he was steadily growing familiar with before lingering on her lips.

"Yes," he said softly as he brushed a nonexistent strand of hair away from her face and tilted her chin up. They looked at each have other like that for a while and Hinata burnt in silence.

"You can transform into him," she suggested, a blush rising up her rosy cheeks. "I… I can imagine making love to… Him."

He appeared thoughtful and she waited anxiously for his answer. It was a test, she told herself. She was testing him. Did he just look for pleasure, or did he truly want her for himself?

She had felt him bury his resentment for her. She had caught him observing her when he thought she wasn't looking. She had felt his lingering eyes on her back as she moved around the house.

But he did not make a move nor make a show of affection. When she looked back at him, he pointedly looked away or lowered his gaze.

"I suppose it cannot be helped," he agreed as he readied a transformation seal. With a loud "poof", he transformed into a goofy blonde who looked at her cheekily with his trademark grin stretched across his face.

"Hinata-sama," he spoke in Naruto's voice.

The pain which Hinata felt at that moment was beyond her endurance. The pain she felt at that moment was not one she could've willed away even if she had attempted to.

And while making love to Neji as Naruto was definitely not the same, it did definitely came close to making her body receptive. Tonight, she screamed out her lover's name and not that of her husband as she climaxed with him.


	5. Day 4: Tradition

**"Tradition wears a snowy beard, romance is always young." - John Greenleaf Whittier**

* * *

 **Day 4:**

 _Tradition_

* * *

The Hyūga Clan were a house of secrets and carefully followed tradition. Tradition in the Hyūga scoffed at the mere idea of marrying someone you love or engage in a relationship with an outsider.

Hinata could not marry the one she loved, but she could learn to love a man she called husband. Even then, showcasing any form of affection in public was frowned upon. Even if Hinata somehow ever managed to convince Neji to so much as hold her hand, the Hyūga Elders would frown upon it.

Tradition also indicated that the Head of the family arrange a marriage and the basis of one lay purely in procreation, the perpetuation of a family line, or to form alliances. Emotional attachment was considered inconsistent and frivolous. The choice to remain single, especially when you belonged to the Main House, was considered a crime. Other than that, stating a preference was also considered improper but Hinata stubbornly remained detrimental.

She made no secret of the fact that her marriage to Neji was solely on the basis of a contract and she loved another still. Her only duty was to pop out heirs. She did not have to love her husband. In fact, her choice to remain in control of her feelings was actually met with approval. Feelings made a person weak and it was best to be devoid of them.

"There will be no second child," she whispered to Neji adamantly and he understood her fears. A second child meant that he or she would be branded with the very curse mark embossed upon Neji's own skin.

"There will be no new branding I believe for the same reason Hanabi's forehead is bare," Neji said. "The Family needs heirs. Someone in the Branch House will be named as protector. Your children will be born into the Main House."

"Ours," she corrected him.

"Ours," Neji agreed. It was easy to forget that his children would not share his destiny. It also felt odd to share something with Hinata, to talk about bringing a new life into this world together with a woman he had once hated.

"Ours," Neji repeated, tasting the word.

But it wasn't theirs.

When Hinata became with child, she witnessed a different side to her husband, one she could not have believed even existed. He, for once, was tender. His words were softer and no longer the harsh tone he always seemed to administer. He was also more caring. He started to devote more time to her and even if he didn't say it, she could tell that he was nervous.

It almost made her regret loving another. Almost. It was because of this very man that her life was as it is.

When the child was born, Neji could hear a crying in the distance. He was anxious to meet his wife and the newborn child, but tradition did not allow him in the same room as his wife during or in the aftermath of her labor.

Birthing was a private affair bestowed on women. It only allowed a hand-maiden and a midwife in attendance. The midwife was also a medical-nin so she was trusted to take care of the whole affair. The best births were considered to be those which made the least amount of fuss and noise.

But the silence seemed heavier than usual and Neji had a looming feeling of dread.

He decided to defy tradition as he made his way steadily towards her room, footsteps echoing along the corridor. Trembling fingers reached up to slide the shōji open, but they remained fixated there.

Something told him that if he pushed aside those doors, nothing would ever be the same.

He slid the door open.

The hand-maiden had already begun cleaning up. He saw the bamboo stick Hinata must have held between her teeth to keep herself from screaming in pain. It was almost in two and his sharp eyes did not miss the splinters on his wife's chin.

He saw how his wife looked just after she had given birth. Her hair was ruffled and there were remnants of pain on her face. When she saw who it was, she turned her head defiantly away, hiding her tear-strained face.

The midwife jumped up in shock at the noise of the door.

"N-Neji-sama… You… You can't be here!"

Neji once more had a foreboding feeling. She told him he couldn't be here but she should've been more aggressive. She was a seasoned midwife with her white hair indicating her experience in her field but even her tone was weak and tense as she tried to usher him away. Her white eyes were wider than usual and her face indicated that she feared punishment.

It made Neji wonder.

Neji looked around till his eyes fell on a cradle on the opposite side of the room. He started to make his way there. The midwife tried to object as she moved, but surprisingly, she was stopped by Hinata.

"Let him see the child," she said, her voice tired and hoarse but steady.

The midwife had no choice but to obey. She was a Branch Member, after all, and she was given a direct order by the heiress.

Neji looked down at the child and he wondered why he continued to feel a sense of impending doom instead of stunned affection. The child sniffed and breathed deeply, a new, innocent life. One which shouldn't be blamed for his parent's actions.

Neji felt the child's hair. They were a messy smock of blonde. There were whisker marks on his cheeks and Neji sighed. For the final confirmation, Neji gently nudged the child awake.

The child's eyes popped open as he looked at him, a most startling shade of blue. The child's eyes were not the pupil-less lavender, and neither were they white with a tinge of lilac. The child did not possess the Byakugan and might never will.

The child's eyes were a brightest shade of blue imaginable.

Neji sunk down on his knees. It was like he had almost expected it because he didn't say a word. It was like he had always known and in fact, he _had_ known. It was no secret.

Just like him, Hinata had defied tradition. She had loved an outsider and had given birth to his child. And yet still, he did not hate her; he couldn't. Instead, he feared for his wife's safety and the inevitable wrath of the family.


	6. Bonus Prompt: Childhood

**A/N: Apologies if this was quick and to the point, I just wanted to get an update out asap! I have been having some troubles with work and a douchebag, which made me majorly depressed and neglect my writing but hopefully, I'll be updating all my Naruto stories especially ones with NejiHina soon!**

 **NejiHina is therapy!**

 _ **"** **Giving birth** **should be your greatest achievement, not your greatest fear." ~ Jane Weideman**_

* * *

 **Bonus Prompt:**

 _Childhood_

* * *

"Do not speak a word of this to anyone," Neji says calmly to the two women scrunched in the corner, fearing his wrath. He looked at the child the entire time as he spoke without turning around. "You will be rewarded for your silence. I will further instruct you on what to tell everyone. But for now, you will know nothing of the birth."

He turns around finally and looks at them straight in the eye. "Is that understood?"

They both nod solemnly, eyes fluttering away.

"Now, fetch Hiashi-sama. Tell him he is needed. You will return with him."

They slide the door shut cautiously and he waits till the sounds of their footsteps have stopped echoing in the corridors before turning around to face his wife.

Hinata willed herself not to flinch, and instead look at him defiantly. She expected to see anger on his face, but his face transformed from the neutral expression into one was etched in deep worry.

He approached where she lay and knelt beside her, taking her hand.

"What have you done?" he asks quietly.

When Hinata does not reply, he asks a different question.

"Why were you not careful?"

She looks away still, but he tilts her chin back to face him.

"Do you know what this means for your life? Your fate will be handed to the elders, your child snatched away from you."

Her eyes widen. "I will tear apart anyone who tries to come between me and my child," she says fiercely. "Even you."

He shakes his head. "I will do my best to protect you. But you have to listen to me, and do exactly as I say."

She looks at him in disbelief. "Why do you want to protect me? Aren't you angry? Do you not wish to end my life yourself?"

Neji snorted. "I want nothing of that sort. You are my wife, my honor. I will let nothing besmirch your good name. But I had always warned you to be careful. How were you so careless?"

Hinata's eyes spring with tears. "Do not call my child a mistake."

"I won't," Neji promised. "But... You must never claim your motherhood."

Hinata tries to sit up, but he gently coaxes her down.

"No! He is my child."

"Listen to me, Hinata," he says, and she listened. He had called her without her honorific.

"If you want your child to be safe and your honor intact, he must be sent away. No one should know of this incident, and I mean no one, except the father, if he can be trusted."

"I will run away," she says vehemently.

"You're overemotional. You know very well you can never escape the Hyuga. The harrowing alternative if you attempt to abandon the family or keep the child is certain execution. Think of your child."

She starts to cry, and he takes her in his arms automatically. He caresses her back till the sound of rapid footsteps could be heard outside the hallway. He grips her hand tightly before dropping it and getting up to meet Hiashi.

Hiashi strode in, worried lines stretched over his face. The two women followed, closing the door and standing out of the way silently.

Hiashi takes a look at his newly-born grandchild as Neji briefs him about the situation at hand and Hiashi appears to age five years. He looks at Hinata with sheer disappointment in his eyes and roars his disapproval.

"If you were not my daughter, I would have stripped you of your titles and inheritance and exiled you, but not before you received punishment for your actions. But exile is ruled out, for fear that enemies can track you and snatch your eyes. That's why for any crime committed against the family, the judgment ruled is always execution. Even as Head of family, I do not have the power to dispute the judgment."

Hinata curled up more, as if attempting to disappear within the sheets. Neji looks at her blankly as Hiashi continues to pace the room in silence, deep in thought.

"There must be some way this can be refuted," Neji says calmly. "No one need ever know that my wife gave birth to another's son. It can be brushed aside. I, for one, cannot accept dishonor upon me or my wife."

"She is my daughter and heir to the clan, so this unpleasant incident should be buried deep and never spoken of. Neji, take the child to the father and explain to him the situation. Be extremely cautious that no one spies you. Ask him to remain incognito for at least a few months and hide the child. If the father does not accept responsibility for the child, I will speak to the Hokage and have other arrangements made. No one should know or ever suspect the child is part Hyuga."

"But..." Hinata says weakly.

"Silence!" Hiashi snaps. "You have caused enough trouble. You will not be leaving the premises anytime soon, as there will be talk around the town if you meet him or are seen."

He turns to speak to the room at large. "Who else is aware of the child's existence except these women in attendance?"

"No one, Hiashi-sama," Neji answered.

"You will be rewarded for your silence in any way you desire and your tongues cut out if the news spreads, be warned," Hiashi rages on, turning to the ladies. "Did anyone see you come into the birthing room for labor?"

They looked at each other. "Everyone knows that the Lady Hinata is close to birth," the midwife stated.

Hiashi shakes his head in disgust. "The official ruling should be that it was a stillbirth. You will inform the elders that the baby was underdeveloped, and taken care of and disposed. The Lady Hinata is in an extreme state of trauma and will not accept visitors as she remains shut in her room, and no one is to disturb her. Any questions?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"So, Neji, leave at once."

Neji bows, and carefully picks up the child, wrapping him in his bundle so that he would be covered. A cry from Hinata made him turn his head, and he brought the child to her so she could say goodbye.

She took him in her arms, tears falling over the blankets he was wrapped in.

"Hinata-sama, it is for the sake of the child's own life," Neji explains gently.

"I haven't... I haven't even named him!" she cried.

"Do not worry. I will do all in my power to keep you updated. I will take responsibility in making sure the child is well cared for. Will that keep your heart at ease?"

"My child will grow up in shadows, hidden from the world without a mother. How can I let this happen? How will my heart ever be at ease?"

"We can't waste more time," Hiashi says impatiently. She sobs, and Neji gently takes the child away from her. As Neji prepares to leave, Hiashi stops him.

"Let me see the child," he demands.

Neji brings him up to his grandfather, who looks at him somberly for a few minutes before ushering his son in-law to continue on his mission of secrecy.

Neji disappears, and Hiashi is left alone in his room with his daughter.

"Tend to her," he orders the handmaiden. "Make everything seem like I have instructed you. We will speak again in the morning."

They both bowed as Hiashi strode out of the room without a single glance back.


End file.
